One of the greatest perks in writing fantasy is building your own world. What all goes into that? How do you make something of nothing? How does one avoid overused tropes or cliches? What are the secrets to proper world-building?

Strong cosplay starts with strong headcanon. Learn professional performance-building tools spanning both physical and mental considerations to bring your original character out of the background. Don’t have an OC in mind yet? No worries. You will by the end. All levels of performance experience and existing world familiarity are welcome. Please come dressed to comfortably move.

Netflix is going all in on the Marvel Cinematic Universe. They just released Daredevil this month and will soon be giving us Luke Cage, Iron Fist, Jessica Jones, and The Defenders. Daredevil’s spot-on casting, cinematic looks, sharp dialog, and top-notch fight scenes are scoring points with fans and critics alike. What do our panelists think?

For kids 8–12 years of age. Meet and greet in the Hotel Lobby from 4–6 pm. Agents of SHIELD Mission #3. We meet to start recruitment of new SHIELD agents. New agents meet each other and begin team-building exercises.

Mixing fantasy and science fiction with mystery is a potent genre cocktail. Poe was one of the first to do it successfully but it’s really caught on in recent years. Our experts tell you how to get that blend just right.

In keeping with the “RavenCon is 10” theme, guests reminisce about fandom in their youth, and discuss how those days still influence our creative work and the communities we build now. Speculate on what the 10-year-olds of today will remember most fondly.

Panelists discuss using real-world places and historical figures in their writing. What can you do and what will get you in trouble? How do you keep a place real enough to be recognizable to people who know it, but still have it suit your fictional needs?

This jewelry making technique, dating from the Viking period, is great for historical reenactors, but can also be used for modern jewelry. It results in an intricate, braided chain, and requires few supplies. Make a bracelet and take it home with you!
Limit 12 participants
Materials Fee: $4

Allen will lead the writers in creating some of the essentials of a plot, from beginning to end. Your responses can be shared with the rest of the writers. Please note, you must arrive on time; the door will be closed to late arrivals.

Join Michael A. Ventrella and DD authors as they celebrate the release of the latest in the Tales of Fortannis fantasy anthologies: A Bard Day’s Knight as well as Ventrella’s most recent novel Bloodsuckers: A Vampire Runs for President. Authors will be there to autograph copies of their books, and there will be a raffle of free book downloads as well!

You can’t have science fiction without science, but a lot of fans forget that. This panel focuses on the science behind sci-fi and how real-world theories and advances in science often change and affect the way sci-fi evolves.

This will answer questions and offer general guidance to a maximum of six new authors who have completed the first draft of a novel and are now faced with the many structuring and editing chores involved with producing a second draft. Gray Rinehart will answer questions from his perspective of five years’ experience as the primary submissions reader at Baen Books. Further details at PaulaSJordan.com/on-second-drafts/
Limit 6 participants
Sign-up at Registration

Have you ever wanted to see where your favorite ‘Doctor Who’ episodes were filmed? Kara Dennison gives you a guide to many places across the UK of interest to Whovians, from St. Paul’s Cathedral to the re-imagined Doctor Who Experience in Cardiff.

SF is populated with sentient aliens, animals, computer programs, robots, even whole planets. But what does it really mean to be sentient? Aren’t we all just following our evolutionary survival programming in more or less sophisticated ways? Is intelligence something that just happens when a network is complex enough, or is it something special? What are the best novels that consider these questions?

If you’re at the start (or the middle) of a career in art, writing, music, game design, or film, you know that the game is always changing. New technologies keep blowing away the old model for making a living in a creative field. In this workshop, you will learn some of the economic principles and realities common to all creative fields, and chart out a years-long roadmap for yourself, with milestones to hit along the way toward “living the dream.”
Limit 15 participants

Using a step-by-step review of his own self-produced live-action trailer, Kevin Kelleher explores a new vital component of the author’s toolkit: the Trailer, which is only part of an ever-widening techno-social reality that artists of every kind must learn how to interact with.

You’ve decided to get a publisher to produce your latest and greatest work. It’s important to recognize that not all publishers are the same. Come learn the things to look out for and ways to size up a publisher so you can work with them successfully.

A suburban kid must save the videogame world from a tyrannical but childish evil sorcerer. Called “the best videogame movie ever made,” this geektastic parody features three-dimensional characters, two-dimensional physics, and one demented villain. There’s also a homicidal ninja “hero,” a space heroine with a vendetta, and a naive young adventurer with gravity-defying hair. Watch them clear the map, meet Mortal Kombat‘s Raiden and Johnny Cage, and finally give that duck-hunting dog what’s coming to him.

Why is Sherlock Holmes still so popular? People are flocking to recent comic releases, films and plays. Panelists will discuss why Sherlock Holmes is still such a popular figure in contemporary culture.

The SCA recreates pre-17th century Europe. We wear garb, participate in tournaments, feast, study calligraphy, armoring and needlework. Come learn about a world where Romans, Celts, Vikings, and Saracens are only a footstep away!

A 101 style introduction to kink, BDSM, and the meaning of life. Well, maybe not that last one. Come learn about what all the letters stand for and talk about what 50 Shades of Grey got right and what is just plain wrong.
Ages 18 and up.

Classic horror authors made monsters the crux of their stories, but one of the most nightmare-inducing writers, H.P. Lovecraft, rarely described his monsters in depth. There’s a lot more to terror than fangs, shadows, and heavy breathing. We discuss what makes for a truly intimidating monster, in prose, art and application.

What does it take to develop a story, characters, and the setting of a novel. Where do you start? We’ll also cover the time and discipline factors involved. This is a panel for anyone thinking about writing a book or those that have just begun.

Panelists discuss some of the different approaches to collaborative writing, why you would want to write collaboratively, and how you write collaboratively without killing yourself (or your co-author).

A look at Peter Capaldi’s first season as the Doctor, his interpretation of the character, Clara and Danny, Missy and the rest—Which episodes did you love or hate, how well did Capaldi make the role his own, where do you think we’ll go from here?

Haunted Attractions are a staple during the Halloween season. For some reason Virginia has never had a huge haunted attraction following when compared to neighboring states. “Virginia is for Haunters” is a grass-roots campaign to grow haunting in the Commonwealth of Virginia. Come meet haunters from around the region and learn what it takes to create these events and the struggles and successes each one has faced.

A friendly discussion of some of the hurdles faced by women in geek culture (the “fake nerd girl” meme, body image and cosplaying, women in refrigerators, gaming communities, online gaming) and what we can do to become a more inclusive community.

Monica Marier has been designing Characters for over ten years for Animation and Comics. She’ll go over the basics of shapes, body-type, age, posture, which includes the turn-around sheet and the expression sheet. She’ll also address questions like “Where do I get costume ideas?” “What does my color pallet say about my character?” and “Should I go detailed or simplified?” Bring your sketchbook and pencils and let’s draw some characters!

Panelists discuss writing convincing, interesting dialogue. What about accents, physical quirks, and differing vocabulary from character to character? How can you use physical beats and dialog tags to pace a conversation?

Editors are the unsung heroes of the writing industry, and they sometimes get a bum wrap for asking the tough questions and getting the story ready for prime time. Why do editors have the reputation of “adversary” with some writers? What are your expectations for them? What is their job and how does it fit in with your job as a writer? What’s the difference between developmental and line edits? Why is editing so important?

We live in a world where saying the wrong thing at the wrong time can severely damage your career at its inception. Especially with the internet, one misspoken phrase or comment taken out of context can gain you enemies, lose you fans and land you on a publisher’s black list. But don’t fret! It’s just as easy to avoid these pitfalls as it is to stumble into them. Panelists will talk about recognizing and avoiding such pitfalls.

The Raven Society is a semi-secret honorary society for students, faculty and alumni at UVA. Led by a member of the Raven Society, this presentation will cover Poe’s time as a student and his dorm room, which is still available for viewing at UVA, with a short slide show presentation and Q&A session. PLUS The Poe Toaster- A brief history of the masked “phantom” who visited Poe’s grave for decades. Followed by a short discussion.

If you’re a new writer or someone who’s thinking about taking the plunge into the world of fiction, getting started can be a bit intimidating. Now’s your chance to learn some tricks of the trade from our panel of published authors. They’ll share tips and answer your questions about getting your writing career off the ground.

Frank R. Paul was the first great science fiction artist. Period. His covers for Amazing Stories were the first science-fictional images ever seen by Ray Bradbury, Arthur C. Clarke and Forrie Ackerman. So great was his stature that he was the only Guest of Honor at the first Worldcon, and he was the first man to ever make a living drawing spaceships. Come and see his marvelous robots, aliens and other wonders!

What was the concept behind the new book? What really brought about its conception and eventual synopsis and storyline? What idea’s and thought went into developing it and give it life? These questions and more will be answered about the upcoming book, “Dreams of Reality”

Come to a taping of the award not-winning podcast of GRD’s Weekly Podcast. We will be discussing with the audience all the geeky goings-ons of RavenCon and we might just have a surprise or two lined up for you. It is a lot of fun and not to be missed.

Allen’s classic workshop. Writers will be given a brief exercise, on which the panel will comment, helping the writer understand what they have done well and where they can improve.
Limit 12 participants

Many SF novels explore the idea of alternate universes, some very similar to our own, some very different. Some views of alternate universes suggest that every choice we make in this universe (or, for that matter, every time a quantum probability wave resolves), the other choice is made in a parallel universe, branching out infinitely. What are your favorite parallel universe stories or ideas? What does the possibility that another you could be making an opposite choice do to the concept of morality?

Join mystery authors Mary Miley and Heather Weidner for a workshop about adding techniques of the mystery/thriller genres to your writing. Learn about conventions that date back to Poe, Doyle, and Christie; traditions; and writing techniques as we explore a brief history of the genre. Then join a discussion about tips for writers who want to get their work published.

Cognitive psychologist Lawrence M. Schoen will discuss some of the many different kinds of memory humans have, and then walk you through the underlying principles that make all these types work. He’ll also teach you a nifty little mnemonic device that will allow you to remember anything!

How do you create memorable worlds? Come learn techniques that combine research, inspiration, and your personal experience. Participants will leave with a list of resources to inspire their creativity, whether they want to create engrossing stories or paintings with lived-in worlds. We’ll discuss the limits of worldbuilding, and signs that it’s time to join Worldbuilders Anonymous. Be prepared to talk with your fellow creators, and bring a notebook, computer, or other writing device.
Limit 20 participants

Sore back? Breathing hard? This interactive workshop will help you create a movement plan (not an exercise plan) that will help you eliminate aches and pains, improve your health, and reduce your risk of illness.

Come join special FX makeup artists Mariah and Angela as they show you how to make yourself into a zombie, just like the ones they did in the film Plan 9! In this workshop you will learn how to apply a prosthetic piece and paint it up so you look just like a zombie!

Cost $15 (includes prosthetic, adhesive, makeup and blood to make yourself into a zombie!).
Limit 15 participants
Ages 12 and up

Do you find yourself doing a number of different character voices? Do you find yourself falling into these same characters and wanting to develop them? Do you like to tackle a challenge of something new that could lead to maybe a new career or just a hobby? Come out and find out what it takes to be a voice actor.

Does your mom, or anybody else, for that matter, think comic books are not “real reading”? Maybe she just hasn’t found the right book. This panel offers tips, tricks, and titles to turn a detractor into not just an advocate, but another comic book reader.

Do you remember the glory days of your college anime club and Toonami after school? Bring your rocking chairs, and bask in the tales about Ranma ½, Cowboy Bebop, Voltron, Gatchaman, and other golden oldies. Perfect time to share your battle scars earned in the Sub/Dub War.

The “common wisdom” of what we should be eating has changing drastically over the last ten years. Come find out what foods will help you improve your health and energy while reducing your risk of disease without “dieting.”

What is it about the West that draws upon speculative fiction writers? Firefly, The Dark Tower, Cowboy Bebop, Trigun, and The Wild Wild West, film, television, anime and commercial fiction use the west as a setting and place for magic to happen. Why do we love this sub-genre? Where is it going next?

They Might Be Giants’ 1990 album Flood is a landmark in early Geek Culture. RavenCon’s music guests join together to pay tribute to this album. Followed by an all-in filk jam with Blibbering Humdingers, Paradox Machine, and White Plectrum.

How do you actually make a living doing art? It’s hard to make a living doing art, and even harder in a rough economy. How do you pay the rent? And what, if anything, is health insurance? We’ll talk about the hard realities, and how you can survive as an artist.

Our panelists discussed the hows and whys of short stories on Friday. Today they delve deeper into the short story writing techniques, focusing on the plotting of short stories and developing the pacing of short stories.

Panelists will discuss the twists the show puts on actual lore (vampires, werewolves, ghosts, mythical creatures, Greek gods, etc.) and how it differs or compares to other popular TV shows, movies, and books.

Writing a piece set in “Jolly Olde England”? Have a desire to nit-pick Robin Hood movies? Working on your Eleanor of Aquitaine or Richard the Lionheart cosplay? Let’s learn about Anglo-Norman fashion, clothing and accessories – from underwear to headgear and everything in between. We’ll play some dress ups too and have some medieval show and tell! In addition to being an international wizard-rock icon :-) , Kirsten Humdinger has made a life-long study of medieval clothing from this period, and is recognized in the SCA as a Mistress of the Laurel for her research and efforts. She has dressed hundreds of re-enactors, advised theatre productions, and had her work cited by many re-enact groups of the period.

RavenCon recently lost our Vice Chair, John Jones. In honor of John, we would like to spend an hour discussing some of his favorite things that never get their own panel. Our panelists will discuss DC’s Legion of Super-Heroes, Steve Perry’s Matador series, and the classic tv show Blake’s 7.

Our panelists will discuss what you should be reading and watching. They will discuss writing horror stories for different media. What works and what doesn’t? Review trends in the horror genre. Join us for a panel discussion about anything horror.

Robert Quill specializes in custom work for individual clients. Many of whom ask for rather saucy subjects and over his 20-year career, Mr. Quill has accrued a number of engaging stories regarding the fantasies he’s been asked to fulfill, ranging from the bizarre to the shocking… to the downright hilarious. Come hear the stories and see some of the artistic results. Ages 18 and up.

The worst science fiction story ever written gets a reading by our brave panel as they compete to go the longest without tripping over a misspelled word or laughing uncontrollably. Audience members are also encouraged to take a chance. Can you keep a straight face, especially when the panel begins acting out the story?

There is no one correct way to write. One of the challenges for new writers is to find the way that works best for them. Some people require strict outlines. Others require only bullet points. And still others require nothing more than an idea and a few notes on a napkin. This panel is on writing techniques, from using outlines to writing organically. Learn the way to write that is right for you!

Much of US rocket technology originated as ballistic missile technology (including some from our captured German scientists). Even some commercial space launch capability derives from national security launch contracts. What national security needs can provide impetus for other space exploits, or for other technologies in general?

Extra Life is an annual 24-hour video/card/table top game marathon where the proceeds go to benefit the kids at Children’s Hospital of Richmond at VCU. The staff of Extra Life tell you how you can get involved.

YouTube veteran Genesis Moss discusses how to make entertaining videos for YouTube on any budget, passes on hard won knowledge about the mistakes to avoid, and includes tips to really make your videos stand out.

This panel would discuss the visual aspects of storytelling. Storytelling in comic books is not just the word balloons and captions we read, but images created by the artists to help clearly communicate the story in the most entertaining way.

In an industry brimming with independent presses and magazines, it can be daunting for the burgeoning speculative writer to find a way to stand out. Writers and artists share the marketing secrets that have helped put them on the map.

Join us as we discuss Matt Smith’s time in the TARDIS. What were your favorite and least favorite episodes, supporting characters, themes, and hats? We will also discuss the long-term effects of Matt’s tenure and the growth in popularity of the show during his time. Let’s review the Eleventh Doctor’s tenure and discuss the good, the bad, and the ugly.